Foldable ejector insert for food cartons



Aug. 11, 1964 F. H. BARTZ FOLDABLE EJECTOR INSERT FOR FOOD CARTONS FiledJuly 6, 1962 INVENTOR FR E D H. BARTZ ATTORNEY United States Patent3,144,189 FOLDABLE EJECTOR INSERT FOR FOOD CARTONS Fred H. Bartz, HalesCorners, Wis. (9380 Loomis Road, Franklin, Wis.) Filed July 6, 1962,Ser. No. 207,936 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-43) This invention relates to cartonconstructions, and more particularly to a folding carton employed forpacking perishable products, such as ice cream or the like.

It is well known in the industry that products like ice cream, whenscooped out of conventional cartons, leave a surface that will be coatedby condensation. When frozen, this definitely affects the quality of theproduct. One purpose of this invention is to provide a means ofpermitting the contents to be pushed out of, or ejected from the cartonwhere it may be sliced, or otherwise removed from the carton. When thecarton opening is sealed again, the construction tends to force theremaining contents of the carton into direct contact with the innerfaces of all of the carton walls, thereby minimizing air spaces thatmight be a source of contamination.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a folding carton blankthat is easily fabricated with a pushup or ejector blank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton with an ejector,as described, in which the ejector is assembled with the folded carton,and arranged in a manner which permits it to be folded into functioningposition either before or during the carton filling operation. Both thecarton and ejector can be stored in a flat condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, that is, constructed of the same material or boardas that of the carton.

The device is simple in construction, economical to manufacture andhighly efiicient for the purpose for which it is intended.

Other and further objects of the invention will become more apparent inthe course of the ensuing specification and claims with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a conventional carton employed toprotect ice cream or the like, and illustrating in fragmentary crosssection the arrangement of the ejector or insert mounting;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the carton filled with aproduct, and showing the insert in position;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a conventional carton blank which is cut outand scored ready for folding, and with the insert placed thereon beforefolding;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the insert in itsrelation to the carton prior to folding;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view of the insert folded and inserted into abottom channel formed by the carton wall;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the folded insert that would bedisposed-inside the carton when ready for use;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the insert shown in FIGURE 6, duringthe folding operation; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective fragmentary view of the carton and insert,during the folding operation.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawings, and specifically referring now tothe same, the character 10 designates a conventional carton constructedof cardboard or the like, equipped with top sealing laps 11, 12, 13, and14, at its upper end, and a tab member 15, which is adherently appliedto the outer face of the carton as shown at 16 in FIGURE 1 to hold thecarton in the posi- "ice tion illustrated. The lower edge of the carton10, is shown equipped with an upwardly extending tab portion 17 (FIGURE1). The blank which makes up the entire carton is creased or scored forfolding as shown by the dotted lines 18. Lines 18 are so spaced as todefine the side portions of the carton. Additional creased or scoredlines 18a and 18b may extend transversely to the lines 18 at the topsand bottoms of the side portions so as to define the top flaps 11, 12,13 and 14 and the bottom tab 17.

By referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that a separate sheet orblank is placed in position as shown. This sheet 19 has slots 24 whichare spaced in accordance with the spacing of lines 18. Blank 19 has alength equal to the combined length of the side portions in blank form(FIGURE 3). The slots 24 extend from the upper edge of blank 19 topoints spaced from the lower edge. The slots 24 have a length equal toor slightly less than the width of the smallestside portion. The lowerportion of blank 19 is creased or scored along the dotted lines 25, sothat when the carton blank and the sheet 19, which are aligned with theslots 24 which constitutes an insert, are folded in a manner to bringthe tab 17 upward as shown in FIGURES 5 and 8 the creases 18 and 25 willpermit both the carton 10, and the sheet or insert 19, to be folded in aposition as shown in FIGURE 8. The tab member 15 is then adherentlyapplied to the outer face of the carton as shown at 16 in FIGURE 1 tohold the carton in the folded form; A creased or scored line 25a extendstransversely to said slots 24 at the inner ends of the slots so as toprovide flange portions adapted to be flush against the sides of thecarton. These flange portions guide the bottom defining portions andhold them in the transverse position as they are moved outwardly. Whilethe carton 10 and the insert 19 are being folded as shown in FIGURE 8,the projecting tabs 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the insert 19 will bepositioned alongside the inside surface of the carton 10. In thisposition the carton 10 and the insert 19 may be stored flat and thenopened into tubular form, as by the conventional mechanical equipmentused in a filling operation.

Before the actual filling of the carton occurs, the flaps 20, 21, 22,and 23 of the insert 19, are forced downward, either manually ormechanically to a position shown in FIGURES 1, 6 and 7, which willprovide a push-up or ejecting means shown at 26 in FIGURE 2, to forcethe contents shown at 27 in the carton upward as indicated by the dottedlines. As the insert 26 is pushed upward to the position shown at 28 indotted lines in FIGURE 2, the contents of the carton shown at 27 may besliced off at 29. The sealing flaps 11, 12, 13 and 14 may be reclosed soas to seal the carton. The contents 27 will be in direct contact withall of the inner surfaces of the carton walls.

Tab 17 provides a slot for the reception of the guiding flanges of thebottom blank 19. This tab prevents movement of the bottom blankoutwardly through the bottom of the carton while allowing ready movementtoward the top of the carton.

This arrangement thus minimizes any residual air spaces within thecarton and thus minimizes contamination, thus maintaining the quality ofthe product.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention,it should be understood that this showing and description thereof shouldbe taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are manymodifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scopeand spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in theart. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope ofthe hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton blank assembly for ice cream and the like including a sheetcreased along parallel lines to define plural sides of a carton andcreased along another line extending transversely to said first namedlines to define top flaps of the carton with the top flaps adjacent tothe portions of the sheet defining the sides, means at one side of saidsheet defining securing means for the carton, a crease extendingtransversely to said parallel lines so as to define a bottom holding tabadjacent to said portions defining said sides but on the other sides ofsaid sheets from said top flaps, and a bottom defining blank positionedover the portions of said sheet defining said sides, said bottomdefining blank having slots formed therein at positions such that saidslots overlie the creased portions of said sheet defining said sides,the bottom edge of said blank being positioned alongside the creasedefining said bottom holding tab whereby upon folding of the sheet alongsaid lines into carton form, portions of said blank divided by saidslots may be folded over one another to define a movable bottom of saidcarton with portions thereof positioned between said sides and saidbottom holding tab.

2. A carton construction including a sheet of material folded alonglines defining plural sides of a carton and top closure flaps for acarton, means securing said sheet in said folded form, and a movablebottom for said carton, said movable bottom including a second sheet ofmaterial having slots extending from one edge thereof inwardly to apoint spaced from the opposite side edge thereof so as to divide saidsheet into areas having widths corresponding to the Widths of said sidesof said carton, the portions of said second sheet defining said areasbeing folded over one another so as to extend transversely to the sidesof said carton, said second sheet having other portions alongside saidfirst named portions and extending parallel to and positioned flush Withthe sides of said carton, said carton having a bottom tab secured to thebottoms of said side portions and folded inwardly in overlappingrelation to the sides of said carton so as to provide a receiving slotaround the sides of said carton for said other portions of said secondsheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,889,581 Williams Nov. 29, 1932 2,005,245 Stover June 18, 19352,534,402 Blair Dec. 19, 1950 2,973,127 Royce Feb. 28, 1961

1. A CARTON BLANK ASSEMBLY FOR ICE CREAM AND THE LIKE INCLUDING A SHEETCREASED ALONG PARALLEL LINES TO DEFINE PLURAL SIDES OF A CARTON ANDCREASED ALONG ANOTHER LINE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID FIRST NAMEDLINES TO DEFINE TOP FLAPS OF THE CARTON WITH THE TOP FLAPS ADJACENT TOTHE PORTIONS OF THE SHEET DEFINING THE SIDES, MEANS AT ONE SIDE OF SAIDSHEET DEFINING SECURING MEANS FOR THE CARTON, A CREASE EXTENDINGTRANSVERSELY TO SAID PARALLEL LINES SO AS TO DEFINE A BOTTOM HOLDING TABADJACENT TO SAID PORTIONS DEFINING SAID SIDES BUT ON THE OTHER SIDES OFSAID SHEETS FROM SAID TOP FLAPS, AND A BOTTOM DEFINING BLANK POSITIONEDOVER THE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET DEFINING SAID SIDES, SAID BOTTOMDEFINING BLANK HAVING SLOTS FORMED THEREIN AT POSITIONS SUCH THAT SAIDSLOTS OVERLIE THE CREASED PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET DEFINING SAID SIDES,THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID BLANK BEING POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE CREASEDEFINING SAID BOTTOM HOLDING TAB WHEREBY UPON FOLDING OF THE SHEET ALONGSAID LINES INTO CARTON FORM, PORTIONS OF SAID BLANK DIVIDED BY SAIDSLOTS MAY BE FOLDED OVER ONE ANOTHER TO DEFINE A MOVABLE BOTTOM OF SAIDCARTON WITH PORTIONS THEREOF POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID SIDES AND SAIDBOTTOM HOLDING TAB.